“Go green” is now becoming a global trend among people in every aspect of our life. Specifically, we have a vast array of eco-friendly products manufactured, ranging from eco-friendly food, eco-friendly transports, eco-friendly home items and so on.
When it comes to household equipment, eco-friendly light bulbs are no exception. But what is an eco-bulb? Are LED light bulbs environmentally friendly? How many types of environmentally friendly light bulbs and what are the criteria to choose the best products?
Before opting for any kind of products, you should understand their nature and characteristics so that you can buy a good one which is not only “go green” labeled but also remarkably efficient.
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Thus, this article will help you answer all the above questions and, by extension, suggest the top 5 most eco-friendly light bulbs brands.
Read on!
Things to Look For When Choosing Eco-Friendly Light Bulbs
To buy a good product, you should know and understand how it works and which factors affect its operation. Thus, before you jump into the best products, let’s consider important criteria to look for environmentally friendly bulbs.
Electricity Consumption
Due to people’s insatiable demand for electricity leading to an enormous carbon footprint, our planet is facing many ecological and environmental problems.
Hence, one of the keys to saving our world is to decrease electricity consumption, and it is also true for a light bulb. In other words, using eco-friendly light bulbs are predominantly synonymous with electricity reduction.
You should prioritize energy-efficient products that consume less energy than their counterparts. This solution is wonderfully beneficial because it not only does good for the environment but also reduces your monthly electrical bill.
Material and Disposability
Each bulb contains certain chemicals which might harm human and environment whenever you dispose of it. Therefore, we should look at another significant aspect which is recycling. It is obvious that recycling is one of the major methods to protect our environment, so let’s opt for a recyclable light bulb to start “go green”.
Eco-friendly light bulbs aside, you should consider the fixture going along with the eco bulb. For example, if you buy a bulb to attach to a lamp, that lamp should be also made in a green manner.
3 Types of Best Environmentally Friendly Light Bulbs
LED (Light-Emitting Diode) Bulbs
LEDs are currently seen as the most eco-friendly light bulbs among numerous lighting options, and quite a few reasons are given for this. First and foremost, LEDs is the one that consumes the least amount of energy in comparison with Halogen, CFL or any kinds of light bulbs.
LED bulbs use only 2-17W of electricity, which is 25-80% less than other standard lighting systems. For instance, a 15W LED bulb uses roughly 75-80% less energy than the equally bright 60W incandescent bulb.
Another upside of LEDs is its lifespan. It can provide up to 10.000 hours of operation, and that figure can surpass if both bulbs and appliances are well designed. A long-lasting light bulb can help minimize the replacements for a long time, which results in reducing impacts on product-related aspects such as manufacture, packaging, and delivery.
Plus, mercury or toxic chemicals are not necessarily a concern when it comes to LED light bulbs. Therefore, you could set your mind at rest when using it, and almost no toxic substances also make our environment greener.
CFL – Compact Fluorescent Light
It is still controversial whether a CFL bulb is eco-friendly or not, but anything has two sides. On one hand, CFL is an electricity-saving product when it consumes approximately 75% less energy than the incandescent counterpart. Cutting down energy consumption is certainly an effective way to protect our planet.
On the other hand, many people are wary of mercury in CFL bulbs, which might threaten humans and other species’ life and the environment as well. To deal with these problems, governments are trying to pose feasible measures to wholly recycle mercury-containing parts of CFLs.
However, it cannot be denied that CFL provides the brightest light among various ones, and it is more affordable and economical when compared with LEDs also.
Halogen Bulbs
Halogen bulbs are viable options, though not perfect if you are looking for eco-friendly light bulbs. Even though halogen lamps are not really energy efficient produces, compared to LEDs and CFLs, this type of light bulb is gradually gaining improvement and enhancement in technology.
In the latest halogen generation, it is a special infrared covering that redirects infrared light back towards the tungsten filament. Accordingly, waste of heat could dwindle and the efficiency is raised by up to 30% if you bring into comparison with “old-school” incandescent bulbs.
Moreover, its content is rather green-friendly, so you will feel secure when lighting halogen bulbs in your house.
5 Most Eco-Friendly Light Bulbs Brands
You have already gone through indispensable elements to consider when buying eco-friendly light bulbs and take a look at major types of sustainable lighting products. Now, let’s consult the following list of prominent brands to pick up your most suitable ones.
1. TCP 9W LED Light Bulbs (6 Pack)
These eco-friendly LED light bulbs provide consistent color and quality. If you are still gradually switching old CFLs or incandescents, these bulbs will match the color perfectly.
Another plus point is their affordable price at only $2 per light and about $16 for 6 packs. It is worth buying a bulb that can last for up to 13 years as using regularly.
Technical information:
- Energy Star Certification: Yes
- Type of Light: LED
- Lifespan: 15,000 hours
- Brightness: 800 lumens
- Color: 2700 K (Soft white)
2. EcoSmart Spiral CFL Light Bulb (4 Pack)
As its name suggests, this brand has come closer towards the eco-friendly purpose. It contains 70% less mercury than a standard CFL, so it is supposed to be the safest CFL bulbs ever. EcoSmart spiral CFL bulbs produce bright, cool white light, which makes your house like it has an extra window.
Besides, the light bulb is very long-lasting, reliable, and much brighter than you expect. However, it goes with a 9-year limited warranty in case problems arise.
Technical information:
- Energy Star Certification: Yes
- Type of Light: Compact fluorescent
- Lifespan: 10,000 hours
- Brightness: 800 lumens
- Color: 5000 K (Daylight)
3. Philips LED Non-Dimmable Frosted Light Bulb (16 Pack)
These lightbulbs which give off a warm and bright light are flicker-free. They are rather shorter and smaller than their counterpart, which becomes an advantage when using small fixtures.
Philips might be an eco-friendly light bulbs brand trusted for its quality and reasonable cost. With only nearly $2 for each pack and about $28 for 16 lights, it seems cost-effective despite slightly lower lifespan.
Technical information:
- Energy Star Certification: No
- Type of Light: LED
- Lifespan: 11,000 hours
- Brightness: 800 lumens
- Color: 2700 K (Soft white)
4. Torchstar Globe LED Dimmable Bulb (6 Pack)
Torchstar globe LED bulbs shine bright in every direction leading to perfect light for any other exposed fixtures such as lamps and vanity mirrors. Besides, the light is medium, so it is greatly convenient for use in multiples.
Some users, however, complained about their flickering in some units. But don’t worry because manufacturers always actively respond to and deal with your problems, and each bulb is warranted within 3 years.
Technical information:
- Energy Star Certification: Yes
- Type of Light: LED
- Lifespan: 22 years
- Brightness: 500 lumens
- Color: 5000 K (Daylight)
- Extra Features: Dimmable
5. Philips Energy Saver 23-Watt 100W Soft White CFL Light Bulb (4 Pack)
The last candidate in the list is again a name from the Philips company which always offers reliable and high-qualified products. This type of CFL light bulb operates warm light and no extra time needed to warm up the light. Thanks to its proper brightness and zero warmup time, you can use it in any setting and an efficient manner.
Nevertheless, a small part of consumers reported that they received broken bulbs sometimes. Although you can address this problem with the company’s warranty, it is still harmful and dangerous due to the mercury content inside.
Technical information:
- Energy Star Certification: Yes
- Type of Light: Compact fluorescent
- Lifespan: 12,000 hours
- Brightness: 1600 lumens
- Color: 2700 K (Soft white)
Conclusion
These aforementioned eco-friendly light bulbs brands might have satisfied your desire of owning both an efficient and environmentally-friendly lighting product.
They are selected based on the price, reliability, quality, environmental impacts, and other key factors also. Hence, you should look at your current situations and related elements to sort out the best one for you.
Although you have your own choice, I highly recommend LEDs as the most eco-friendly light bulbs thanks to its energy efficiency, toxic chemical-free, long lifespan, and wholly recyclable possibility.
Remember that a light bulb itself can help protect our environment to some extent, so all of us should combine as many sensible measures as possible to make a “green” planet.
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